The Secret Daughter

I quickly walk to my father’s study and stop outside the door. I let out a nervous sigh and reach up to knock on the big red door. “Leave,” his voice barks from inside and my heartbeat quickens. He’s not in a good mood.

“I-I’ll come back later,” I rush as I quickly turn on my heel to leave but stop short once my father speaks.

“Lu!” He calls out my name is realization, his voice a little less aggressive. “Open the door Chong,” he barks and I groan as I hear his servant's footsteps get closer.

He opens the door and I’m met with a short bearded man. “Lu so nice to see-,” Chong starts but my father is quick to shut him up.

“Stop talking. Come in Lu,” he says sharply, and Chong lets out a quiet sigh.

“Yes father,” I comply automatically, and step past Chong after giving him an apologetic smile. His face stays clear of emotion and I frown. It’s like my father sucks the life out of everyone.

I walk to the large desk and patiently wait for my father to turn and face me. “You may stop,” he tells another one of his servants and the servant's hand quickly drops the quill and moves away from the paper. “Just warfare things,” he tells me as he sees my questioning look.

I nod. It’s silent as my father stares at me, waiting for me to state my business. “I um..” I start but trail off in a loss of words.

He huffs in annoyance and narrows his eyes. “I don’t have all day! I’m a busy man, what do you want-” he says in an aggravated tone but I cut him off.

“I want to be normal!” I snap, but the second the words leave my mouth my eyes widen at my mistake.

“That will never happen,” he answers and turns in his chair back to his desk, telling me the conversation is over.

My hands curl into fists and I internally scream. I silently leave the office, hearing the satisfying slam of his heavy door closing behind me. I rush to my room with my head spinning. It's time to leave. I can’t stay here. I can’t live like this anymore.

I rummage through my closet and yank out my bag. I grab robes and tunics and then run down the stairs to the kitchen. I pass servants and ignore their confused stares as I grab lot’s of food.

Once I grab as much things that will fit into my bag, I rush out of the door, and shove past the Imperial Guards that are waiting outside the palace. “Ms. Lu! Where do you think you’re going mam?” I ignore their calls and run down the courtyard.

I run through the garden and push open the gates. The second the gates open, the chatter of commoners fill my ears. The smells of rice, dumplings, and so many different foods clash together. I also notice the beautiful statues of Buddha, and busy marketplaces.

My eyes wonder around the city streets in awe, and then I notice the numerous stares I’m getting. I then realize that they probably aren’t used to someone dressing as exotically as me, so I decide to try and fit in.

“One of those please,” I ask politely as I point to the brown robe hanging in the back of the shop. The tall man who looks to be in his mid twenties at the front of the shop looks at me wearily and lifts a questioning eyebrow.

“You want to buy that when you have those,” he asks in a sickly sweet voice as he looks at my clothes.

“Yes,” I answer automatically and confidently. I’m completely sure that I want to be normal. It’s what I’ve wanted my whole life and if buying dirty robes is what it takes, I’m happy to do it.

He smiles. “Very well. Let’s go get it shall we?” He asks as he starts to walk to the back of the stoor. I follow with an excited smile on my face.

Once we get to the back of the shop, I reach up to get the robe but he quickly stops me. “No, no, no. First, I want to ask you a few questions. Like you know, how much you have to spend, where you came from. I do this with all my customers,” he elaborates as he notices my confused look.

“Oh of course! I don’t know anything about life outside of my palace, and I was questioning your ways, I’m so sorry,” I say with an ashamed smile.

His eyes widen and a smile creeps back onto his face. “Palace you say? Okay I have no more questions for you dear.” He reaches for something behind his back and I look back to the robe.

“Oh okay,” I say in confusion and start to reach up for the robe again when something is thrown over my head and tightly closed. I open my mouth to let out a scream, but a hand is firmly placed over my mouth.

I struggle in the person’s grasp, but his arm’s just tighten around me. when I realize he is no match for me, my body goes limp and I let him drag me away. “Stupid girl,” he whispers.

I couldn’t believe what was happening. I would have never ever expected this, and I still don’t even know what’s going on. I try to let out a sigh but of course it never comes out because of his hand firmly clamped over my mouth. Only I, being the stupid person I am, could get myself in a situation like this.

I was roughly thrown onto something and after feeling around with my hand I realized it was wood. A second later I started moving, and could hear the neigh of horses. I’m in a waggon, I thought to myself as I sat up and blindly reached around me to find something to support me.

I grab onto the side of the waggon and hold on tight as the rough bumps start to increase. “Are we no longer in the marketplace?” I call out once I remember that the marketplace had smooth streets.

“Guess your not so stupid,” is the reply I get from him and I frown at that. Of course I’m not stupid.

“I’m not. I know how to read,” I tell him confidently and I get no response. After a long time he finally speaks again. “Teach me.”

“No,” I answer right away. Why would I help a guy who just tricked me, kidnapped me, and called me stupid?

“I won’t kill you if you teach me,” he says smoothly and confidently and I sigh in aggravation.

Okay maybe that’s why I would. “What do you want from me,” I ask with narrowed eyes, which I know he won’t be able to see since I have a bag tied around my head.

“Well, at first when I realized you were obviously rich I wanted your money. But, I’ve always wanted to read and write and I guess I’ll just have to get both,” he says and I can picture the slick smile on his face.

“Take the bag off of my head and I might help you,” I say as I cross my arms and stare ahead of me, hoping that’s where he is.

“Okay,” he says and the waggon stops. “We’re here anyways.”

I eagerly get to my feet but stumble slightly. “Take it off,” I say. I hear him get out of the waggon and walk to the back where I am. I’m then easily lifted out of the waggon and placed on the ground. Then the bag is ripped off of my head and I let out a breath of air. “I was suffocating.”

“No, you weren’t. I put a few little holes on the top of the bag,” he elaborates as he throws the black bag into the back of the waggon.

“It’s called exaggerating,” I say as I roll my eyes. I notice his mouth twitch upwards; as if on the verge of smiling.

“My name is Lu,” I tell him and reach my hand out waiting for him to shake it. He ignores my hand and turns around.

“My name is Gao,” he says as he starts to walk away. I stay behind him, with a confused look on my face. “Follow me,” he calls over his shoulder.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I look around at the deserted and scary looking place. When I get no answer, I decide to just follow him. We end up walking to a log and sitting down.

He points to my bag, which is plopped on my lap. “You got learning stuff in there?” He asks with a hopeful look on his eyes.

I nod and pull out paper, ink and a quill. “Always bring it with me,” I tell him with a smile.

“You teach me, and I’ll bring you back home,” he says and I automatically nod, but then stop and start to think about it.

“Being here with you, even though you just kidnapped me and all, might be better than being cooped up at home,” I tell him with a shrug.

“I would give anything to have a life like yours,” he tells me and I realize what I said might have been selfish.

“Anyways, let’s get started. This here,” I say as I point to the first letter. “Is the letter A.”

Numerous hours were filled with me pointing to letters and telling him what they sound like. He was quite slow, and at times it was frustrating. But I realized that if my teacher could put up with me, I could put up with him.

After a while I put down the quill and looked up to him. “I want to go home,” I said.

He nodded and then sighed. “How about you stay a few days and teach me more?” He asks with a hopeful look.

I sternly shake my head. “I miss home. I never thought I would but I do. I think being on this trip with you has helped me realize that I should be grateful for what I have.

We soon arrive at my house after a much nicer trip in his wagon since I was up at the front with Gao, and I didn’t have a bag tied around my head. “I have an idea Gao,” I tell him as we pull to a stop.

“Yes?” He asks as we both step out of the waggon. He walks to my side of the passenger side and turns to face me,

“I will continue teaching you. I will write to you. Life won’t be as boring if I get to actually send the letters that I write to someone,” I tell him with an excited smile.

“Might take me a while to fully understand and read the letters you send but that sounds great,” he says with a smile of his own.

“Okay,” I say excitedly and turn around to leave but stop. I turn back around and hand him my bag, without a second of hesition. “It has food, and most importantly paper, ink, and quill. He gratefully smiles and gets back in the waggon. “I will stay in touch.”

“As shall I,” he say and wave as the wagon starts to move. I walk back inside the palace and give a sheepish grin to the Imperial Guards who sigh gratefully. “Your father would have killed us.”

I hurry inside and go straight up the stairs to my room. I push open the door and sit down on my desk to write Gao his first letter. After a few minutes pass of me writing away, my father and mother come in and giving me grateful hugs and scoldings.

Now my window is locked because they don’t fully trust me anymore but I don’t really care, because all I need to keep my entertained is Gao, paper, ink, and quills. I guess being the secret daughter isn’t so bad if you have a secret friend.